Broken Pieces
by Slicklizard41
Summary: This takes place right after episode 3x14 Scary Monsters and will continue on until after the season finale. Between loosing a friend and giving up his job, Eyal's got a lot to figure out... and it may get him killed in the process.
1. Chapter 1

He rolled the glass between his fingertips. The ice clinked against its sides.

He sat, thinking of the look on Annie's face when she gave him one last chance. It was that moment when he'd decided he was done. He'd already been burned by Mossad. There was nothing left for him there.

He took a drink and set his glass back down, the ice louder now that the glass was empty.

He watched the door, willing her to walk through. She had always been able to see right through him before. Did she not hear him when he swore on his son's life? Sooner or later she'd remember his words and she would know.

"Can I get you another, sir?" He flicked his eyes to look at the bartender. She was tall, slim, with long brown hair and warm brown eyes. He could have easily charmed her and taken her back to her place, but all he could think of was Annie.

"Yes. Thank you," he said while putting on his most winning smile. She returned a moment later with his drink.

What was he going to do now, he wondered to himself. Should he go home to Israel or stay in Washington for a while longer? Maybe he could repair some of the damage he'd caused. She would probably never be able to trust him again, not that he deserved her trust.

He should probably go home to Israel. He needed to see his family. He needed to tell his ex-wife that he was done and that he could be around more often... Maybe be a little better father to his son. She would see right through him too and know it was a woman that had changed everything. It was ironic that he wouldn't leave Mossad for the mother of his child but instead leave because he'd hurt another spy... An American woman at that... Someone who was so headstrong and stubborn he could hardly stand it at times.

He finished his drink quicker than the last one and nodded to the pretty bartender. She smiled and poured him another glass. He thanked her politely when she set the glass on the napkin in front of him.

"Maybe she's just running late."

Startled, he looked up into the woman's brown eyes. "Hard for someone to be running late when I didn't invite anyone in the first place," he said not taking his eyes off of her. Her eyes were a similar color to Annie's but not quite the same.

"Oh, I'm sorry." A pink blush spread across her cheeks. "You've been watching the door like you expected someone. I guess I just thought..."

"More like hoped," he shrugged. He took a drink and she gave a half smile, probably pitying him for his lonely night.

He thought about calling her but stopped himself before dialing her number. Calling her now, tonight, would only make things worse. His betrayal was too raw.

He sighed and set his empty glass back on the bar mentally counting the number of drinks he'd finished. The bartender reached for the glass and asked if she could get him anything else. He shook his head and she returned a moment later with his credit card and receipt. He signed it in his own name, an action he deliberately made. Langley would know he was still in country and they would have their eyes on him.

The bartender returned to collect his signature. "I hope the next time you come to the Parchment you find who you're looking for," she said with a half smile.

"Thank you," was all he could manage to say.

As he slid from the barstool he made the decision. He would stay in DC for a while. He might not be able to have her trust again, but he could at make sure she knew that he was done and out of the spy game. That hurting her had been the last straw. Maybe she'd be willing to call him a friend again.

Outside the bar he stopped and leaned against the building. The alcohol had affected him more than he'd expected. Getting caught driving while in his current condition in a country that was currently not too fond of him was probably not a good idea.

He couldn't go back to the apartment, at least not tonight. He didn't want to chance running into her there. Luckily, he knew a guy at a nearby hotel. He would get a room under his own name and wait a few days. He would try to talk to her then. If he was lucky, he would be able to pick up some of the broken pieces.

After that? Who knew? It was time to see where the river would take him.


	2. Chapter 2

He watched the apartment for the next few days, waiting for her to return. He'd gone in the next day, after… everything, to pick up some clothes when he spotted her perfume and some of her other items stashed around. Sooner or later she would have to come by and retrieve them. If she would not call him, he would talk to her when she was alone in the apartment.

He was sitting at the small cafe that he had come to like down the street when he saw her red car drive by. He swallowed another mouthful of his coffee before throwing the nearly empty paper cup in the trash. From the window of the cafe, he watched as Annie entered the apartment building. A minute later, he did the same.

He paused a moment, just outside the apartment door. He could hear her moving about, no doubt packing the last of her things in her suitcase. He steeled himself and knocked quickly. "Annie, its me."

Silence followed and he began to wonder if she would actually open the door for him. Finally the deadbolt turned and the door opened. Annie stood on the threshold with a frown on her lips and a gun in her hand pointed at the floor.

"What are doing here, Eyal?" she asked.

"It's my apartment," he answered eying the gun in her hand. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"The thought crossed my mind," she said as she retreated into the apartment.

He followed her into the apartment and closed the door. She slipped her gun back into her coat pocket and returned to the bedroom to continue packing her things. He watched her, from the bedroom doorway, leaning his shoulder on the frame and crossing his arms over his chest. The tension was so thick in the room he could hardly breath.

"I'll be gone in just a minute," she mumbled, wrapping her fingers around her bottle of perfume and avoiding his gaze. She flitted back and forth in front of him one, two, three times before he could stand it no longer.

"Annie, wait a minute," he said as she crossed in front of him again. He reached for her left arm and caught it, circling his fingers around her bicep just above her elbow. She spun quickly and her tightly balled right fist connected with his left cheekbone. The move surprised him. He swore under his breath and staggered slightly, not loosening his grip on her arm. "I guess I deserved that. Do you feel better now?"

"Yeah, actually, a little. Eyal, please, let go of my arm." He loosened his fingers and let his hand fall to his side. "Why are you here. Right now. A minute after I get here?" She made no move to walk away.

"I need to talk to you. There are things you need to know," he sighed.

"Yeah? Like what?" Her eyes glared directly into his. Her brown eyes were startling with their hints of numerous other colors depending on how the light stuck her.

"Annie, I never intended to use your trust in me against you." Her eyes narrowed, her lips became one long thin line, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Look, I know you don't want to believe me, but there is more going on than either you or I know about. I'm worried for you."

She snorted and took a slight step back, her eyes never leaving his face.

"I mean it, Annie. You've saved my life multiple times now, well before you trusted me in any way at all. I'm indebted to you and trust or not, I always repay my debts. I think you know that of me by now." She nodded slightly, almost not at all, but he could still see it. "If you need anything, you can still call me."

This time she nodded for real but her face remained stony and impassive. "Thank you, Eyal." Without another word she turned her back to him and began arranging things in her bag.

He watched for a minute before deciding it would be better to let her be. In the kitchen he took a glass from the cupboard and filled it with ice. To the right of the fridge sat a bottle of eight year old scotch. It wasn't his favorite, but would do in a pinch. He was about to reach for it to pour himself a drink before he thought better of it. Instead he lifted the glass to his cheek to alleviate some of the sting left behind from her fist.

That conversation had not gone as he'd hoped. He couldn't seem to bring himself to tell her the words he'd really come to say; that he cared for her and left Mossad because he couldn't bare what he'd done to her. He suddenly wished she would go... That she would no longer look at him with her eyes filled with anger and sadness. As with Johanna, maybe it would have been better if she'd never met him.

He heard the clicking of her heals as he leaned back against the refrigerator. He closed his eyes. He couldn't stand to look at her and see both of their pain reflected back at him.

"Eyal, there's something I don't understand." She'd stopped just out of reach. "Why are you still here, in DC? I thought you were being decommissioned from the field. Shouldn't you be back in Israel by now?"

"I was."

"What do you mean? I don't understand." her voice was carried a tone of curiosity that he'd come to expect from her.

He faltered and opened his eyes to look directly into hers. "What I am saying is that I'm done. I'm no longer Mossad. They were going to put me behind a desk. I chose to walk away."

Her eyes searched his face. "That's ridiculous. You can't just walk away."

He chuckled darkly. "Oh, I'm sure there will be consequences and repercussions." He set the glass down on the counter next to him. "But I did walk away, and that is how it is. You don't believe me, I know, but you can check with your agency. I'm sure they will be able to gather the proper intel."

"But why, Eyal? That doesn't make sense to me. You always told me you loved your country and would do anything for it. What could make you..."

He merely shrugged and gave her a half smile before leaning his head back against the cool refrigerator door and closing his eyes again.

She didn't move right away and he could only imagine what kind of thoughts were going through her head right then. He heard the click of her heals again as she made her way to the door. There was the snap of the lock as she turned the handle and the slight creak of the door as it opened. If she waited any longer he would lose control and beg her not to go.

"Goodbye, Eyal," she said finally. He snapped his eyes open and turned to the door, but it was already closing, blocking Annie from view.

He walked to the door, the finality of her words lingering in his mind. He stood, palms flat against the surface, and his forehead touching the wood letting his personal anguish break his cold facade. "Goodbye, Neshama," he whispered.

He took a deep breath and swallowed the tightness in his throat. He made his way to the living room, snatching the glass with the melting ice and bottle from the kitchen counter on the way. Maybe it wasn't such a bad time to have a drink, after all.

**Stay tuned... this story isn't over yet...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: this chapter and the next are mostly a retelling of episode 3x15 "Quicksand" from Eyal's point of view. I did made some slight changes so that my story would fit better with the episode.**

He left late that night after receiving a tip that Khalid's father, Omar, was in Zurich, working on a deal. Nothing else had seemed to pan out so it was worth a shot to follow up. And after talking to Annie, there was really nothing left in DC for him to do.

It was Tuesday morning when he arrived in Switzerland; the weather a bit colder than it had been in DC. He spent the first few hours in the city contacting all of his assets who might be able to track down Omar. As luck would have it, Omar's movements were easier to track than he'd expected.

By Thursday, when his contact from from Credit Suisse called, Eyal had a good idea of the older Ansari's routine. He knew he'd found his break when he saw Omar leave his car with a satchel, enter Club Au Lac, and leave with nothing.

For five days he tried everything he could think of to get eyes inside the club. He was almost out of options when the club manager approached him. For 100k euro, the manager would let him in. The only problem now was coming up the money to get inside.

He had just finished lunch at the little outdoor cafe, contemplating his next moves, when his phone rang. His heart kept slightly when he saw Annie's name flash on the screen. After a moment of hesitation, he answered, smiling, "Hey. What a pleasant surprise. After our last conversation I didn't think I'd hear from you... Maybe ever."

"Yeah, well, I didn't expect to be fleeing Luxembourg City," she replied in a whisper.

His smile dropped from his lips when she told him what she needed. He asked her what was going on, even though he already had an idea. He listened intently as she explained that Khalid's men were after her.

He rattled directions to her, instructing her to come Zurich where he would wait for her. He didn't specifically say the safe house where they first met, but she would understand.

She ended the call quickly and he was left looking at a screen that flashed the words "call ended" at him. He tipped his head back and let out the breath he'd been holding. He'd hoped that with Cole dead and Megan disappeared Annie would be out of danger. He'd hoped too much.

He gripped his phone tightly in his hand; the cool metal edges dug into his palm. This was his fault. If he hadn't pushed her trust him maybe everything would have turned out differently.

He made one stop before heading back to the safe house that afternoon. His cobbler was good, but it would still take 24 hours to put together a decent clean passport for Annie to get out of the country.

The rest of the afternoon and evening were restless. He found himself pacing, mostly, and checking his phone ever few minutes. He tried to call her at last a dozen times, but his calls all went to voicemail.

Worry and guilt were fast becoming his new friends.

He'd worked it out in his head. The drive out of Luxembourg and into France would have taken some time. The earliest train she would most likely be able to catch wouldn't get to Zurich until very early the next morning.

Even knowing that, sleep was not easy that night. His worry found its way into his dreams and he woke as light broke the horizon with the image of Annie's face in Russia; broken and scared. His heart raced and reached for his phone that he'd left lying next to him in bed. He frowned at the blank screen. She had not called nor had she responded to his text message.

He showered and dressed in a haze. Suddenly everything in the safe house made him think of her.

He'd been sitting out on the balcony trying to read the newspaper when he heard the knock and the door to the apartment open. Instinct and years of being a spy caused him to press his back against the wall and wait. A quick sigh of relief escaped his lips when it was Annie's voice he heard call his name.

He wasn't sure what he expected to feel when stepped through the glass door and saw her standing at the end of the hall, but it certainly wasn't the wasn't the hollow feeling he was experiencing right then pushing against his lungs making it impossible to breathe. "I wasn't sure if you were coming. I tried to reach you-" he said, the relief audible in his voice.

"I dumped my phone. I didn't want anyone tracking me." She looked directly at him as he approached. Her face was cold and expressionless.

The smile that had begun to form on his face faded as she strode to the opposite side of the room. He stood still, feeling the wave of guilt once again. "Listen, I contacted a cobbler I know. He'll have a nice clean passport by noon today - get you on a plane back home."

"I'm not going home, not yet." She turned to face him. "You told me the last time we were in Zurich it didn't matter if I can trust you or not. It only matters if I can use you to complete my mission."

"What are you proposing?" he asked stepping closer. He had a pretty good idea what she was asking, but he needed to know, from her, what she needed.

"Khalid tried to take me alive. As long as he's after me, I'm not ever gonna feel safe. I have to get to him before he gets to me... Can I use you?"

"Use me," he answered letting a half smile settle on his lips. He searched eyes looking for anything more, but her face was steel; her real emotions locked under the surface. "Come," he said finally breaking the silence. "When was the last time you ate?"

She followed him into the kitchen, quietly retrieving items from the fridge and setting the table. Once she finally began to eat, she also began to talk. She explained how she'd been trying to track down Megan. How Auggie was out of country and Joan was on leave. How she'd fallen for the false intel that Megan had been found dead in Luxembourg. And when her story came to and end with more questions than answers, he began his own.

He explained how he'd come to Zurich to surveil Omar Ansari because he suspected the older man of passing funds to Khalid. He had just finished explaining his theory when his phone rang, 9am on the dot.

His contact from Credit Suisse informed him that Omar had, in fact made another request for funds; this time for much more. If they were going to try and follow Khalid's trail, now was the time.

He and Annie drove in silence to the shop. The owner was a sayan for Israel. If he could convince the man that the request was legitimate, they were in.

"Eyal," the man said as he opened the door. "Noah," he answered as they stepped into the high end jewelry store. "It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," Noah answered in English. And then added, in Hebrew, "You should have called first."

"This is a time sensitive mission and I need your assistance," Eyal spoke deliberately in English partially for Annie's benefit, even though he knew she had a pretty good grasp of his native language, but because he'd also made a choice.

"How much?" Noah asked.

"100k in clean diamonds," Eyal answered calmly.

The other man was nervous. 100k in diamonds was a lot and he wanted confirmation from Rivka. Eyal's anger and frustration took over as he tried to convince Noah to just hand over the diamonds. When Noah refused and then threatened Eyal with a taser, he snapped, wrenching the man's arm and raising his fist.

Eyal was about to make a threat when Annie's hand close around his fist. "That's enough," she said calmly, looking directly into his eyes. Her soothing voice calmed his momentary rage and he allowed her to pull him away and prod him towards the exit.

They walked along the sidewalk for a few minutes before Annie broke the silence. "So much for laying low. What happened?"

"I didn't have time to be polite," he answered. "I needed to get that money so we can pay off that club manager."

"I'm not talking about your methods. You didn't want him to call Rivka."

"Annie, I told you, I quit Mossad. If he'd called Rivka, it would make our situation even more complicated."

She paused beside him. "You really quit Mossad? I-I didn't believe you before."

"Don't read too much into it. I wanted to hunt Khalid down and kill him. They're mission was complete. Lets just call it creative differences."

"Eyal-" she said, matching his pace.

"It was time anyway."

"Eyal-" she said again, tugging on his sleeve. They both stopped and he turned to her waiting for her to call him crazy for going into this mission without Mossad behind him. "I'm sorry," she said at last. "I can't imagine how hard that was for you."

"I don't need your compassion right now, Annie. What I need is money."

"How are we going to get 100k euros. I'm not even supposed to be there."

"I don't know, but if we don't get eyes on that pass we might never get to Khalid."

They stood in silence for a moment before Annie sighed. "Come on. I need to get a burn phone." When he raised his eyebrow she added, "I've got a long shot."

They purchased a phone at a nearby store and sat down at a park table. "Here goes nothing," Annie mumbled as she dialed.

He sat quietly, listening, as she spoke to Joan. Time was running out and he was beginning to worry. He rested his elbows on the table and leaned his chin on his folded hands. If Annie couldn't convince Joan to give them the 100k, they were done.

She carefully told Joan her story of how she ended up in Zurich and how he'd been doing surveillance on Omar and trying to find an in into the club. What she didn't tell her supervisor was that he was no longer Mossad. When she ended the call she turned to him, a smile on her face. "We're in."

**Stay tuned for the second half of quicksand from Eyal's point of view...**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is part 2 of the episode "Quicksand" from Eyal's point of view.**

He paced the living room, adjusting his coat and tie once again. They were fast approaching noon. "Window's closing," he called.

"I know how to tell time, Eyal," she answered from the bedroom. They had made a stop before coming back to the safe house so Annie could change into something more appropriate for the high end club.

"I-I'm just saying... Do you think Joan will come through?"

"I hope so," she said hurrying out of the room. She stood in front of him wearing a blue dress that hugged every curve of her body, but that wasn't what took his breath away. It was just her, standing there, with her bare feet. He remembered another time of her hurrying out of the bedroom with bare feet.

The memory of her soft skin under his fingers as he stitched her cut and the brush of skin against his lips as he bit off the thread overtook him as she continued to hurry past him and reach for her shoes. "Do you remember when we were hold up in here before?" he asked finally.

"Of course I remember."

"How did your stitches heal up?"

"There's no scar," she said with a smile and pulling on the neckline of her dress. "Want to see?"

He stepped closer touched his fingers to her shoulder. "Oh yeah. Maybe I should have been a doctor."

"I've had a few scars since then," she whispered.

"Well, I hope the one between us can heal." He turned away from her then so she couldn't see all of the regret written across his face. He was about to change the subject when there was a knock on the door.

When he came back from collecting the case and flowers from the delivery man, Annie was already putting on her coat. "Are we going to open it this time?" she asked with a smile. He set the case on the table and she reached over and snapped the clasps open. She lifted lid and chuckled when the money came into view. He smiled too - just in time.

They pulled up outside the club gates a moment before Omar got out of his car. "There's Omar. Like clockwork," he said. They watched silently as he entered the club with the satchel in hand.

"Let's go," she said.

"You know the, ah, dinning room is for men only."

"Well, you still need someone to keep an eye on the door," she said letting the seatbelt go.

"Look. Come on, Annie. We already know Khalid put a contract on you. Who's to say the courier wouldn't recognize you... Maybe he even told his dad."

"You know I'm going with you no matter what you say," the determination thick in her voice. "Once we spot the courier, how are we going to maintain the tail."

His face fell, for a moment, displaying his worry for her to see. He knew she would never agree to stay back, but it hadn't hurt to try. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small tin that contained two tiny gps sticks called Mosquitos. He quickly explained, to Annie, just how they worked, giving her one in the process.

"We're going to find Omar, watch him do the handoff, and let the mosquito bite," he said giving her a small smile.

They pulled up and entered Club Au Lac together, as a team. After his time as Kidon, he'd avoided working with others. He preferred to work alone with no one arguing with him or reminding him of protocols. But Annie was different. He never had to say a word, although, they did tend to argue...a lot.

After he gave the case of money to the club manager, he and Annie moved seamlessly into one of the rooms, each taking a glass from the waiter. They each scanned the room, looking for Omar or any of his people. Without a word, they left the room began making their way down the hallway and up the stairs. At the landing, he turned to her and she nodded, letting him know that she understood. She couldn't come up to the dining room with him.

Eyal continued up the last flight of steps and took a deep breath. This was it. He would get his eyes on Omar and the courier so that he and Annie could get out quietly and without being compromised.

He entered the dining room and spotted Omar right away seated at a far table. He was grateful when the waiter motioned for him to take the table near the exit. It would give him the opportunity to observe the pass and then slip out quickly after the courier to tag him.

He'd been seated at the table, quietly reading the menu, when the waiter approached with Mr. Ansari's request to join his table. Eyal tried to politely refuse, but Omar had been insistent.

A hundred thoughts flowed through his mind as he made his way to Omar's table. Could he have possibly been made? Had Annie? Would he still be able to tag the courier while sitting this close to the older Ansari? And on top of all that, he wondered if he could get out of there quickly and without suspicion.

The two men greeted each other when he approached the table. Eyal introduced himself with one of his aliases and sat down, ordering quickly from the menu before the waiter could walk away. He hoped he could get the meal and get out as quickly as possible.

The two men chatted, Omar insisting that he knew Eyal from somewhere. When Omar's phone chirped with a text message, they both eyed the phone curiously. "Highly against club policy," Omar said. "One of these days they're going to kick me out." He motioned the waiter over, whispered to him, and handed him the satchel.

Eyal knew his only chance was when the waiter walked by. He tried to reach out, with the mosquito in his hand, but the waiter was too quick and too far away. It was impossible without being made for sure.

"Now then, lets figure this out," Omar said as Eyal pulled his phone out under the table, sending Annie a one-worded message; waiter. He silently hoped she would get it.

"I'm sorry, what's that?" Eyal asked.

"How I know you."

Eyal chuckled nervously, thoughts of being made flooding his mind. He did his best to convince Omar that he was sure there was no way the two men had ever met. A minute later his lunch arrived and their conversation changed to business and Zurich.

After about 45 minutes he checked his watch and apologized to Omar for having to dine and run, so to speak, but he had an important meeting he had to get to. The older man stood and shook his hand. He left quickly, making his way down to the main foyer where he found Annie waiting. He sighed with relief.

"Did you find the courier?" She nodded. "I wasn't sure you got my message."

"It wasn't the waiter that was the courier," she whispered. "It was Megan."

"Megan?" She nodded again. "And you were still able to-" She handed him the hand held tracker where a red dot flashed on the screen. "Well played, Annie Walker." He said with a smile.

Outside two shots rang out, interrupting their moment.

Next to a rental car, Megan lay dead on the cold concrete. He cursed himself. They had know that Megan had been compromised and killed her to keep him from finding Khalid. He quickly snatched the satchel, hoping no one noticed and tugged on Annie's arm. "Come on. We've got to go." He looked back as he retreated to their car and called Annie's name. They needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.

They didn't go directly back to the safe house for fear that they might be followed. They drove around, quietly, checking for tails. They made a various stops, including getting more clothes for Annie. She had only the dress she was wearing and the clothes she'd arrived in, both of which she felt she could not wear any longer.

When they got back to the safe house it was dark outside. Annie went straight to the bedroom to change. It had been a long day and they both needed a little bit of space.

He slid off his coat and draped it across the back of living room sofa. He loosened his tie and added it to the coat. He unbuttoned the top and rolled the cuffs of his sleeves up. He sighed feeling a bit more comfortable.

"Annie," he called as he picked up the satchel he'd left on the dining table, "I'm out to the balcony."

"Okay," she called back. "I'll be out in a minute."

As he walked by the bedroom, he glanced inside. Across the room, the mirror reflected her buttoning her shirt and for a moment he glimpsed the scars on her chest; so close to her heart. The moment took his breath away, again. He'd known she'd been shot and had nearly died, but it hadn't seemed real. Until now.

He wanted to protect her, at that moment, from any more scars, physical or otherwise. And even more importantly, he wanted to do anything he could to heal the rift between them.

He continued out to the balcony before she noticed him watching. He'd just set the satchel down and was beginning to go through its contents when she followed him out the glass door.

She was standing by the railing when he muttered in frustration, "Nothing. Don't get me wrong. There is 250k untraceable euros in here, but no leads to get us to Khalid. They must have clocked us and had Megan killed."

"She was never going to listen to me. She was in love."

There was a note to her voice that he couldn't quite figure out. "This wasn't your fault," he said carefully.

"I know that," she said sitting down on the balcony sofa. "She had a chance to get herself out. More than one. She refused my help. There's nothing I can do about that." Her answer took him by surprise. "What?"

"Nothing," he answered. "I agree with everything you say, I've just never heard you talk like this before."

"Yeah, well, I haven't felt like this before. But I've learned a lot since the last time we were here. Not everybody can be saved. It's not my job."

He couldn't help but feel guilty. She really had changed and it hurt him to know that he'd helped cause the change. He moved over and sat next to her on the sofa, nudging her shoulder affectionately with his own. "Please tell me you didn't take everything I said in West Virginia to heart. Your empathy is one of your greatest talents. Don't ever lose that. You never know when you're going to need it."

The sadness in her was written all over her face. He wished he could say anything to make that pain go away. He was about to say more, when the sound of stopping cars startled them both. He shot up from his seat and ran to the railing, pearling over the edge. "They know we're here," he said, breathless.

"We're five stories up. There's no way out of here."

"No," he said, his mind racing. "We can climb down to the next balcony."

She grabbed the satchel and ran to the railing. In that instant he knew what had to be done. He retreated back inside, closed the balcony door and locked it. He pressed his hands to the door frame and took a deep breath, steeling himself for would happen next.

Annie must have heard the lock click because suddenly she whirled around and ran back to the door, pulling at the knob, trying to open the door. "Eyal," she called through the glass, pain and shock in her voice and written clearly on her face. "Eyal. What are you doing?"

"There's still one way out of this," he said pulling the last mosquito from his pocket, avoiding her eyes. "Go, Annie," he said just before sticking himself in the thigh. He looked at her again, maybe for the last time, and nodded for her to go.

He turned and tossed the tin that had held the Mosquitos into a open doorway and ran to the front of the apartment not looking back.

**Stay tuned for the next chapter: Eyal in captivity. It will be posted sometime before "Lady Stardust" airs on Tuesday.**


	5. Chapter 5

Breathe in. Breathe out.

His head was full of cobwebs and pain radiated from the back of his skull. He tried to touch the spot where he knew there must be a nasty knot but when he tried to move one arm the other came as well. Eyes still closed, Eyal balled his hands into fists causing the plastic to cut into his wrists.

He opened his eyes slowly and grimaced as a wave of nausea rushed over him. He was propped, very uncomfortably, sitting up in the far back of an SUV. There was nothing he could do but breathe and hope nausea subsided quickly.

Breathe in. Breathe out, he told himself. Assess your surroundings.

The last thing he remembered was the safe house.

Yes. He remembered Khalid's men, the GPS tracker, and telling Annie to go. They had asked where Annie was but he said nothing... Even gave a little smile for good measure. He remembered being thrown in the back of an SUV...then nothing. Just blackness.

He assumed that he'd been hit in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious. For how long, though? The sky outside the moving vehicle was still black. Not more than a couple hours, he thought.

He already knew his hands were bound in front of him using plastic ties. Eyal flexed his ankles and found them to be unbound. There were three other men on the vehicle; two in front and the third seated almost directly in front of him. Immediately, his mind began churning scenarios of possible escapes.

He thought of Annie, wondering if she was safe right now and wondering if she was able to follow his little red dot on her tracker.

Three years ago, he would never have let this happen - never allowed himself to be captured. Back then, they would have both been climbing down that balcony. Running for their lives. Even now, if it had been anyone but Annie, he'd have gotten out of there as fast as he could. It wasn't time that had changed him, it was her.

He kept replaying the look on her face when she realized what was happening. That shocked and confused expression. Truthfully, he hoped that would not be his last memory of her.

He'd thought of so many things to say to her; that he cared for her, wanted to protect her, never wanted to hurt her again.

He rubbed his fingers across his thigh, relieved to feel the tiny tracker just under his skin.

Annie had a choice now. She could run. Go back to her agency. They could protect her, keep her safe. In a way, that's what he hoped she would do. But he knew her too well. She'd follow that tracker on this suicide mission. Maybe it would be to save him once again, or maybe it would just be to get to Khalid, he didn't know which.

The vehicle began to slow and soon turned off the road. His senses went into overdrive. Where they at their destination? He thought he heard one of the men up front mention fuel. Of course. They would need to stop at some point and refuel. SUVs were notorious for terrible gas mileage.

He listened intently as he feigned sleep. The SUV slowed to a stop. Bright lights illuminated the heavily tinted windows. The men in the front seats opened their doors and ordered the third man to check on the prisoner as they slipped out.

He knew this would be his only chance. As the other man turned in his seat, Eyal threw his bound arms over the other man's head and pulled back, effectively locking the man's neck in the crook of his elbow and trapping him, his back against the seat.

On his knees, Eyal whispered into the man's ear. "I can break your neck in a heartbeat. Where are you taking me?" There was little chance of actual escape, but maybe he could get some information and somehow get a message to Annie.

The man cursed him in Dutch as he tried to reach for the gun he'd dropped and Eyal tightened his arm around the man's neck.

He heard the rear door open a second too late. He'd loosened his arms around the first man and was turning when a second man grabbed a handful of his hair and shoved the barrel of a gun into the tender spot in the back of his head.

The first man roared with rage, spun in his seat, and planted a right hook directly on Eyal's jaw. He could taste the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The man with the gun pulled back on Eyal's hair and flung him against the side of the SUV. He groaned as nausea welled in his stomach again.

"Well, well, Mr. Lavin. You are finally awake."

Eyal swallowed the bile in his throat and studied the man with the gun. He was of fairly average height with light hair cropped close to his scalp and had a vertical gash over his left cheek only a few days old. He was the one who'd entered the safe house first; the one who'd asked where Annie was.

Eyal chuckled.

"What's so funny," the gunman asked.

"Where did you get that gash?" Eyal asked nodding at the man.

"None of your business," he answered coldly.

"Looks to me like it came from the heel of a very expensive women's shoe," Eyal smirked.

Rage flashed in the gunman's eyes as he swung the butt of his gun directly at Eyal's temple.

Everything went black.

**Oh, it's not over yet!**


	6. Chapter 6

**So sorry that its taken me so long to finish this, but now that its done, I can now focus more energy on Run For Your Life, which was inspired by the writing of this.**

He gasped as the searing pain woke him from the blackness. A moment later the pain was gone and replaced by the throb and burn of an open wound.

He opened his eyes slowly, expecting the nausea that would wash over him. Khalid stood before him, rolling the tiny GPS tracker between his fingers. Eyal cursed himself. It should have been impossible to find the tracker.

"Thank you," Khalid said, a small smile on his lips, "This will make things much quicker. No doubt Annie Walker is already on her way to Amsterdam." He turned to one of his two body guards with the instructions to attach the GPS to a burner phone and wait for Annie to arrive.

Eyal took a moment to really see his surroundings as one of Khalid's bodyguards fastened a bandage around his bleeding thigh. The pull on his shoulders told him that hands were handcuffed behind the chair he sat in. His legs, too were tied to the legs of the chair.

Everywhere he looked were windows. Outside the sun was just coming up over the horizon illuminating the lush green grounds. The estate would have been beautiful, if it wasn't currently his prison.

He could only wonder if Annie really was on her way.

Eyal sat silently tied to the chair as he watched Khalid pace across the room.

"Eyal Lavin. Its fascinating to finally meet you face to face," Khalid said softly as he sat down in the chair directly in front of Eyal.

"The pleasure is all mine, I'm sure," he hissed. He did his best to keep his emotions from reaching his face. This wasn't the first time he'd ever been captured, but it was the first time he was without any backing from Mossad. "What is it you really want, Khalid?"

Khalid merely smiled. "Tell me something, why did you give yourself up willingly in Zurich?"

"It was the quickest way to get to you." Eyal smiled. He could play this game; answer without really answering.

"No. I think it's because you have feelings for her."

The muscles in Eyal's jaw tightened. He gave an uneasy laugh. "I think your wrong."

"You're lying. I can see it in your eyes."

"What does it matter what my feelings are? I can't give you anything. You want something from the CIA. I can't give you that."

"No, I but I believe Ms. Walker has the same feelings for you and can get me what I need."

Eyal clenched his jaw and glowered at the other man. They sat in silence for what could have been minutes or maybe hours before Khalid's phone rang.

"Yes?" he said quietly. "Good." Khalid hung up and began quickly dialing another number.

"I am sure you don't want to waste time with pleasantries, Annie Walker," Khalid spoke into the phone.

Inwardly, Eyal seethed but his face remained passive. Khalid turned to him and snapped a photo quickly.

"Eyal Lavin is alive. I won't kill him. And I will return him to you but only if-" he was cut off and the expression on Khalid's face grew darker. "Let's leave Megan out of this. Now, someone has betrayed me. What I want is the names of all the employees in my father's company who are CIA assets. Those that are responsible for my situation need to be punished. You will get the names-" Again Khalid was cut off. "You have 24 hours. I will contact you on this same phone for details as to where to do the exchange. I do not want Megan to have died in vein."

Khalid hung up the phone and walked out of the room without a second look.

Eyal let the mask of defiance fall from his face. He was worried. The last thing he wanted Annie to do was give up the names of assets, not to mention Khalid's situation had very little to do with the CIA. On the other hand, he was sure Khalid would kill him if he didn't get what he wanted.

It wasn't until late evening that Khalid returned baring a glass in his hand. "Water," he said offering the glass. "You should drink something."

Eyal drank as the other man tipped the glass, spilling the cool liquid into his mouth. He hadn't realized how thirsty he'd been.

Khalid sat down once again in the chair facing him. "Tabuk, where my ancestors are from, is only 250 miles from the kibbutz where the IDF does their training exercises. You and I, we're not so different."

Eyal smirked. "You're wrong. We're both driven. Both killed to achieve our goals. We're exactly the same."

"Clever."

"We're both prisoners. You have us both hold up here, miles from Amsterdam. There are outside, what? Two guards? When you're better off with twenty? You never got your lifeline package from daddy, did you?" He waited a beat before asking, "Are you desperate, Khalid?"

Khalid didn't flinch. Instead he smiled back. "You've been working with a spy from a rival agency to pursue me for weeks. You're the one who's desperate," he said leaning forward in his chair.

"I've betrayed Annie's trust more times than I care to admit," Eyal replayed truthfully, letting the smirk slip from his face. "I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to kill me."

Khalid stood and patted him on the shoulder as he left the room. "Well, as long as she does it after I get what I need, that's fine with me."

Eyal clenched his jaw. This wasn't exactly what he'd hoped to happen when he'd sacrificed himself. He could only hope that Annie would make the right choice. The assists, they were more important than him.

The night was long and sleeping while sitting up and tied to an uncomfortable chair isn't easy. For the second morning in a row he saw the sun rise from the horizon.

Khalid only returned once, late in the morning, bringing with him both of his bodyguards. "Come," he said as one of the guards cut the ties around Eyal's ankles and the other guard helped him stand. Eyal walked in between the two guards quietly and curiously.

They stopped at one of the guest bedrooms and the guards ushered Eyal inside and unlocked the handcuffs from behind his back.

Khalid gestured to some clothes lying on the bed. "Clean up. Change. We need to leave for Amsterdam shortly," he said before leaving Eyal alone with the guards.

For a moment, Eyal contemplated attacking the guards. There was just the two of them. He thought he could take them both, but even if he did he would still be stuck in this prison. And there was still Khalid.

He washed the blood off his face in the adjoining bathroom and slipped on the new shirt and jeans. His mind spun with scenarios. None of them feasible. He hoped Annie had thought of something better.

The Bloemenmarkt was crowded. It was an excellent choice for a meeting spot, and from the snarled remarks Khalid had made about it being time to meet his girlfriend, Eyal guessed that the Bloemenmarkt had been Annie's idea.

As they walked along, Eyal hid the cuffs around his wrists. There was no point in scaring the innocents doing their shopping. He scanned the crowd looking for a familiar face; Annie's face.

Instead, what ran into him surprised him even more.

"Sorry, I'm a bit lost. Do you know how to get to pier 10?" Auggie asked. The blind man had literally walked into one of Eyal's guards. He did his best to keep his face as neutral as possible, but he knew that if Auggie was in the picture Annie had something up her sleeve.

The guard shoved Auggie to the side. "You could have just said no, jerk," Auggie said before turning to someone else and again asking for directions to pier 10.

Then, a moment later, she was there, standing in front of them.

"Annie Walker, Eyal's description of your tenacity didn't do you justice," Khalid said.

"Let's leave the notion of justice out of this entirely. It seems inappropriate," Annie said, quickly glancing at Eyal.

"Agreed," Khalid answered with a small smile on his face. "That's for me, I presume." He gestured to the blue folder Annie held to her chest.

"This wasn't easy to get you know."

"I know. That's why I asked someone with something to lose."

"That was the one flaw in your plan Khalid." Her voice was defiant. "Assuming I was the one with something to lose. You've been counting on my feelings for Eyal to drive this negotiation, but he works for a rival agency," Annie said as she handed the folder to Khalid. Her eyes found Eyal's and silently spoke to him. "What's in this file is what he's worth to me. No more, no less."

Eyal eyed the folder as Khalid opened it. There was nothing there. Eyal lifted his eyes again to meet Annie's.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Khalid asked.

"Far from it," Annie said reaching into her coat.

Eyal realized what was happening just as Annie pulled the gun. "Annie, no. Annie!"

The two shots hit him like bricks knocking him back into the stands of flowers. For a minute he thought he really was dead, but when one of Khalid's guards nudged his leg, Eyal's eyes flew open.  
He kicked his legs out and took the man down before scrambling to stand. Eyal kicked the man in the side of the head, knocking him unconscious before he could raise his gun. Reaching down to retrieve the weapon, Eyal scanned the area to make sure there were no other threats in front of him before he slipped quietly into the nearest alley.

He leaned against the wall and drew in a deep breath before pulling the sticky red squibs from his shirt. He could hardly believe it. Of all the possible plans...

He moved through the narrow alleyways as quickly as he dared, checking over his shoulder ever few minutes to make sure he wasn't followed. It wasn't until the sign for pier 10 and Auggie pacing in front of it came into view that he really believed he'd heard correctly.

"Couldn't you find a closer pier?" Eyal asked breathlessly as he approached Auggie.

"For a sighted guy, you sure are slow," he replied handing Eyal a key for the hand cuffs.

"Yeah?" he smiled. "For a blind guy you sure are crazy. This was a ridiculous plan."

"Agreed."

"Where's Annie?" Eyal thought for sure she would have already been there.

"Have to assume she's in route," Auggie said as he reached to undo the lines at the rear of the barge docked at pier 10. "We shove off in two minutes. If she isn't here we meet up with her at the old church in Delft. She knows the protocol."

For a moment Eyal wasn't sure he'd heard Auggie correctly. He'd had a feeling that Auggie had more than just friendly feelings for Annie ever since Russia. "But you won't leave her?"

"I would never leave her," Auggie answered defiantly.

Eyal smiled, reaching to untie the bow line. "I would never leave her either." He knew the meaning of his comment wouldn't be lost on the other man.

"Go!" Annie's voice echoed against the alley walls.

"Where is she?" Auggie asked as both men leapt onto the barge.

Annie's called again as she ran; Khalid and one of his guards close behind her.

"Come on," Eyal called to her as Auggie told the driver to go. "You've got, baby," he called as she leapt from the pier over the widening gap to the barge. "I've got you," he whispered into her hair as he caught her.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Khalid's guard jump and in less than a second, Eyal had released Annie and pulled the gun from his coat pocket, shooting the other man before he landed on the barge.

"Are you okay?" He heard Auggie ask.

"Yeah," Annie answered before turning to smile at Eyal. "What were you waiting for?"

"Waiting for you, Neshama." He smirked and returned the gun to his pocket before giving her arm a gentle squeeze. He headed to the boat's cabin to get rid of the fake blood stained shirt.

When he returned to the deck, Auggie was just handing Annie his phone. From the way she spoke and paced the deck, Eyal knew she was talking to Langley. He watched her face and could almost see the wheels turning in her mind.

She frowned at the phone when she finally hung up. "Khalid's going home. The Saudi government made a deal with the Dutch."

"His father probably pulled some strings," Eyal said with a note of frustration. "Oil trumps everything, especially justice."

"The important thing is we all got out of this alive and unhurt," Auggie said.

"I don't think this is over," Annie said shaking her head.

"What are you talking about?" Auggie questioned.

"The CIA wants me to end this," she said defiantly. "They want me to kill Khalid."

"Annie..."

"Think about it. They sent you here to help me. Why?"

"Because they care about you," Auggie answered.

"No, because they want me to mop up the mess."

"I'll do it," Eyal offered.

"No," auggie said forcefully. "We did not risk our lives so either on of you could go on a suicide mission. We have a plan. We're sticking to it."

"Why did they tell me exactly where he is and when he's leaving?"

"Annie, you are frustrated and upset and I get it. It is unjust and obscene that Khalid is going home. But nobody wants you or needs you to kill him."

Annie was quiet as she gave Auggie's arm a pat and walked below deck.

Eyal watched her as she descended into the cabin before also giving Auggie a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. He knew just how stubborn she could be. Both men sat down on the boat's benches and waited quietly for her return.

It was only a couple minutes later when Auggie called her name.

Standing, Eyal offered, "I'll go check on her." He ducked into the cabin and called her name but she wasn't there. He scanned the room quickly and his eyes fell on the empty pocket of the coat he'd left on the padded seat.

He clutched the wool collar and swore under his breath as he emerged back on deck sliding the coat over his shoulders. "She's gone," he called to Auggie.

"What do you mean she's gone."

"She's gone. She took the gun I got off one of Khalid's guys."

"What are you doing, Annie?" Auggie asked to no one in particular.

"She's going after Khalid, of course," he said furiously. Eyal was more angry at himself for leaving the gun sitting down there than at Annie for taking off. After all, he did volunteer to do the job himself.

"Damn it, Annie. We've got to get off this boat and in a car." Auggie went to talk to the driver as Eyal stood quietly seething.

It took another ten minutes before the barge could pull into an open pier where both Auggie and Eyal both scrambled up onto the paved street. Eyal scanned the street. An older model car would be best. They were easier to break in to and hot wire.

About a block down on the quiet street he spotted it; a grey-blue sedan. "Come on," he said reaching to nudge Auggie's arm.

Auggie immediately wrapped his hand around Eyal's elbow. "Where?"

"Just a little further," Eyal answered quietly. They stopped along side the car and he looked up and down the street. He hesitated a moment trying to think of an easier way to get into the car and finding none he began to raise his arm and hope he could get enough leverage to break the side window without breaking his arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" Auggie asked suddenly.

"I'm getting us a car," Eyal replied, matter-of-factly, lowering his arm slightly. "Do you have a better plan?"

"For god's sake. You don't need to make a mess." Auggie reached into his messenger bag and pulled out a slim piece of metal. "Move over," he told Eyal as he ran his fingers along the door frame.

Eyal raised his hands in defeat and chuckled lightly. "A blind man breaking into a car. You sure come prepared. Do you always carry that with you?"

"Always a Boy Scout," Auggie mumbled. "Just be my eyes, okay?"

Eyal watched the surprisingly empty street as Auggie went to work on the lock.

Within minutes, Auggie held the drivers side door open. "You want to drive or shall I."

Eyal smiled at Auggie and slipped into the seat behind the wheel and unlocked the passenger door before going to work on the wires under the console. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Auggie traced his hand along the outside of the car until he could slide into the passenger seat.

As the engine roared to life, Eyal pulled out onto the street as fast as he dared. "Annie's got about a fifteen to twenty minute head start on us. I don't suppose you know where she's going?" As Auggie recited the name of the estate Khalid had kept him at, Eyal raised an eyebrow. "You're sure?"

Auggie nodded. "That's what Joan said over the phone."

"You heard that?" Eyal questioned and Auggie gave a slight nod. "You hear everything, huh?"

"I hear everything," Auggie said pointedly and Eyal was sure that both men knew just just how the other felt about the same woman. "Can't you drive any faster?" Auggie asked changing the subject.

"Sure, if we want the authorities after us." Eyal glanced at Auggie. "Don't worry. We'll get to her in time."

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence; the tension thick in the air. Eyal slammed on the brakes, skidding the car to a halt, when he saw Annie running from the estate. "There she is," he said breathlessly as he quickly got of the car. He hurried to the front of the car touching Auggie's arm so he could grab hold.

"Annie," Eyal called.

"Are you alright?" Auggie asked.

"I'm alright. I didn't kill Khalid. He's gone now." The three turned at the sound of the helicopter taking off.

After a moment, Auggie sighed. "Come on, Walker. Lets go home."

The three returned to Amsterdam, abandoning the stolen car just outside the train station. They were about to enter the station when Auggie offered to wait outside. Eyal smiled and laid his hand on the other man's shoulder. "It's been another hell of an adventure," he said. "Maybe next time we meet, you and I, we'll get a drink."

"Sure. That sounds like it could be enlightening." Auggie chuckled and leaned on his cane.

Eyal patted Auggie's shoulder and laughed to himself before turning and walking with Annie into the station.

"So what now for you? Are you going back to Israel?" Annie asked as they walked.

He shrugged. "No. Athens."

"What?" She asked tugging on his arm until they both came to a stop. "Why Athens?"

"Well, I've got a 40 foot mariner ketch in Pireaus with my name on it." Annie gave him a quizzical look. "No seriously. It's called The Flying Lavin."

"You're dyed in the wool Mossad. Are you sure you're going to be happy sitting around on a boat all day?"

"Sitting? It's called sailing'" he said with a grin. When Annie didn't laugh he added, "I don't know. Much of Jewish mysticism revolves around numbers: five knots in the tzitzit, the ten sephirot, the four species of the sukkot, but we've only got one life. I want to make the best of it."

"Why do I feel like there's always something behind what you're telling me."

He smiled at how she always knew. "Well why don't you join with me and find out?"

"The last time a guy asked me to run away with him it didn't exactly work out," she said, a hint of pain in her voice.

Eyal's face fell. He hadn't meant to cause her pain.

"Besides, I need to get home. Put down some roots."

Eyal nodded. "For now. Timing is everything, Neshama. But one day you and I will be sitting somewhere looking at a sunset thinking of nothing at all. Maybe not this boat in Greece, but one day... And that will be a lovely evening."

She smiled sincerely. "I hope so." They stood there looking at each other not really wanting to say the inevitable next words. "Goodbye, Eyal."

He looked away, not wanting to meet her eyes. "I'm not good with goodbyes. And I never get to say this. Thank you, Annie." His eyes met hers. "And good luck."

Eyal brushed past her quickly getting lost among a group of tourists walking around a corner. He turned to watch Annie from just out of her view as she turned on her heel and looked around for him. A truly genuine smile spread across her face as she walked away.

He stood there for a few minutes longer watching the spot where she had stood.

After three years, Annie had made more of an impact on him than he had ever imagined. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He really never would have thought the same green CIA woman he'd met in the safe house in Zurich would be the person to change the course of his life forever.

He was sure this would not be the last time he saw Annie. He just wondered when that next time would be.

As he turned to make his way to the ticketing counter, Eyal smiled to himself. It was all up to the current now and he was finally content to just let the current take him for a while.


	7. Chapter 7

The storm clouds dissipated just in time. It was going to be a lovely evening. Maybe the best one he'd had yet on The Flying Levin.

When he'd arrived in Greece, he'd finally made the calls to his family that he'd been putting off for so long. He'd called his mother first, who was disappointed he wasn't returning to Isreal. Then he spoke to his niece who assured him she would come visit as soon as she could convince her grandmother to allow it.

Finally, he'd called his ex-wife.

He wasn't really sure what he'd expected when he told her he'd quit Mossad, but it certainly wasn't the knowing tone that she responded with. "Eyal," she had said, "I had a feeling this day would come. Something changed in you over the last couple years."

"Changed?" he'd questioned with a laugh.

"Yes, Eyal. You've become, again, the man that I fell in love with years ago at University."

"I'm sorry," he said, the guilt swelling in him.

"It's okay. We've made peace with everything and we've both moved on," she'd said knowingly. "There are only two reasons I can think of that would cause you to quit, and since Avi is just fine it must be because you've found love."

"I-," he gasped, taken aback.

"She's brought light back into you. That's why you've changed… it's been good to see."

He sighed.

"Oh," she'd said, surprised. "Haven't you told her?"

"It's… complicated."

"Oh, Eyal," she'd sighed. "You know that saying: 'If you love something, set it free; if it comes backs it's yours, if it doesn't, it never was.'? I truly believe in that. No matter how… complicated it all is, if it is meant to be, it will be. You are a good man, Eyal. Don't forget that. She'd be crazy not to love you."

He'd smiled to himself. "I hope so. Thank you," he'd said before asking her to send his love to Avi.

He'd made that call months ago and each time he'd called since, she'd ask if Annie had called. Each time the answer was no, including the call he'd made earlier in the week to wish his son a happy early birthday.

"Have faith," his ex-wife had said. Faith. Sometimes it was hard to have faith. He just hoped… hoped that she was okay.

For the first day in a week the rain had finally stopped falling and the clouds had suddenly been swept away. Whatever had swept the clouds away had seemed to sweep away the dark mood he'd been feeling for the last couple days. Suddenly, he found himself smiling and humming to himself as he got out of bed that morning.

He had gone out that afternoon to pick up supplies and found himself feeling a bit nostalgic. And when he felt nostalgic, he needed a Sazerac.

He walked down the long dock to the slip where his boat was docked, a bottle of rye in one hand and groceries from the market in the other. For a moment he had the fleeting paranoia that he was being followed. He paused, just before stepping aboard to check his surroundings. Nothing was out of place. He shook his head and reminded himself that no one had come for him the last five months. It was probably time to stop worrying.

But the nagging feeling that someone was watching still danced in the back of his mind as he stepped aboard The Flying Levin. Maybe that Sazerac would calm his suddenly heightened nerves.

He had just finished pouring himself a drink and was about to head out of the cabin onto the deck to watch the sunset when his phone started vibrating in his pocket. He pulled the phone out and glanced that the name on the screen before answering.

"It's been a long time, Neshama," he said with a smile. "Are you ready for that sunset? You're just in time."

"It's good to hear your voice," Annie spoke quietly.

"How…" he trailed off when he heard it; soft footfalls on the deck outside the cabin door. He reached into the drawer under the counter where the bottle of rye sat. "Annie, hold on a second," he said setting the phone down.

He steadied the gun and reached for the door, taking aim. When he pulled the door open he nearly dropped the gun in surprise. What he saw was definitely not what he was expecting.

"Knock, knock," Annie said, standing in front of him wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a long sleeved grey t-shirt covered in patches of dirt. Her blonde hair was pulled up on with loose strands curling around her face. She looked at him, eyes wild. "Eyal, I need your help."

**Even though this story is over, for now, have no fear... I have more Annie/Eyal stories to tell. If you enjoyed "Broken Pieces" and want to read my next (completely original) Annie/Eyal story please visit my story Run For Your Life (Please note, it is an M-rated story).  
**


End file.
